IN BRIEF
VERONA — Bennett and Vance Smith, grandsons of Vernon Wise of Butler, finished in a three-way tie for third place with a score of 71 at the 61st annual Western Pennsylvania Golf Association Brothers Championship at Green Oaks Country Club.
The duo were two strokes behind Perry and Dave Granciano, who carded a 69.
Leo and Jerry Marron of Foxburg placed seventh by firing a 72.
The Marrons tied Homer and Michael Capotis in the net division with 66, although the Marrons finished second overall. The Smiths finished in a three-way tie for third place with a 69.
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have claimed right-handed relievers Chris Resop and Chan Ho Park off waivers Wednesday and added them to their 25-man roster.Resop, 28, pitched in one game for Atlanta, giving up five runs in two innings before going on the disabled list June 16 with a strained rib cage muscle. He is 3-3 with a 6.14 ERA in 58 career games with the Marlins, Angels and Braves, pitching in 16 games for Atlanta last season.Park, 37, was 2-1 with a 5.60 ERA in 35Z\c innings with the Yankees. Opposing batters hit .280 against Park, who broke into the majors with the Dodgers in 1994.The Pirates also designated right-hander Steven Jackson (0-1, 11.57 ERA) for assignment and shifted first baseman Steve Pearce from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list following season-ending left knee surgery.
ASHBURN, Va. — NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said testing players for human growth hormone is about the "integrity" of the game.In an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, Goodell calls the issue an "important" element of ongoing collective bargaining talks between owners and players.The NFL has proposed having blood testing for HGH. The players' union opposes it.
BOSTON — The Boston Celtics announced Wednesday that the team had signed 15-time NBA All-Star Shaquille O'Neal, who had been a free agent after spending last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.With center Kendrick Perkins sidelined after knee surgery, possibly until February, the Celtics went after the 18-year veteran who was the top pick in the NBA draft in 1992.O'Neal averaged 12.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 53 games for Cleveland last season.
PITTSBURGH — University of Pittsburgh defensive end Jabaal Sheard was reinstated to the football team Wednesday after pleading guilty to disorderly conduct for a fight last month in which he threw a man through an art gallery's glass door.The senior from Hollywood, Fla., had been charged with aggravated assault and resisting arrest after he got into a fight in the early morning hours of July 18.A district judge reduced the charges and ordered Sheard to pay a $300 fine and the other man's medical bills. Sheard also was ordered to apologize.Sheard's attorney called the fight unfortunate.Coach Dave Wannstedt said Sheard also will be disciplined by the team. The 21-year-old started all 13 games for the Panthers last season. Pitt opens preseason camp Saturday.
IRVINE, Calif. — Michael Phelps won the 200-meter freestyle at the U.S. national championships, then came back less than an hour later to win the 200 butterfly Wednesday night.Phelps led all the way in the 200 free and touched in 1 minute, 45.61 seconds — fastest in the world this year — to earn a spot on the U.S. team for the Pan Pacific championships later this month.Phelps hasn't lost the 200 fly since 2002.
CARLSBAD, Calif. — Jelena Jankovic had hoped to use the hardcourt season to prepare herself for the U.S. Open.Instead, the world's No. 2 ranked player was left with doubt after a 7-5, 6-2 loss to Alisa Kleybanova Wednesday night in the second round of the Mercury Insurance Open.French Open finalist Samantha Stosur advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-4 win over American teenager Melanie Oudin.Stosur, the No. 2 seed, used her powerful serve to control Oudin. The Australian also broke Oudin's serve late in both sets en route to her second-round win.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Marshall football coach Doc Holliday dismissed three freshmen players from the team.Holliday said the players haven't lived up to the high expectations of a Marshall football player. Holliday didn't cite any specific incident for the dismissals Wednesday, the day fall practice began for the Thundering Herd.Dismissed were defensive tackle Mike Fleurizard, running back Antwon Chisholm and wide receiver Fred Pickett. All three are from Florida.Cabell County Magistrate Court records show Fleurizard was charged with robbery stemming from an incident Saturday. Fleurizard was held on $50,000 bond Wednesday at the Western Regional Jail. A preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 13.